Investment bonds or collectives? What are your choices?
WE had a number of calls from last week’s column asking about (onshore) investment bonds and their taxation. Many believe they are very tax efficient, but sadly that is not true, except in very specific circumstances – the obvious one being inheritance tax planning. This is almost a rewrite of a column from 20 years […]
UK value stocks’ rocketing value! So what is a value stock and why does that matter?
UK VALUE stocks have been as loved as a sneezing fit in a lift, or any confined space for that matter. So what is a value stock and why does that matter? Value stocks are stocks that are low because the market has simply priced them lower than they are currently worth for varying reasons. […]
Guaranteed structured investments – Not!
YOU may have seen the odd headline financial product luring you in like a cheap genetically modified food on a supermarket shelf. Sprayed with fine mist and glistening in its carefully placed light, the ‘vegetables’ having been ‘harvested’ some time ago are already oxidising and potential devoid of nutrients. Food’s purpose is to help your […]
Financial Wellbeing – Humanity’s Emotional, Ethical, and Financial Turning Point
FINANCIAL Wellbeing – In April 2021, our chief executive, Peter McGahan, was asked to contribute to the World Health Innovation Summit digital magazine ‘Inspire’. The article, entitled Financial Wellbeing – Humanity’s Emotional, Ethical, and Financial Turning Point’ was published in Inspire, a digital magazine which explores the fields of healthcare and sustainability to provide the tools […]
Sustainable societies, it’s happening!
SUSTAINABLE societies are happening. I was fortunate to sit with a world-class high performance Olympic coach who gave me one great tip he thought bridged from sport to life and business. Never be too self-congratulatory or self-deprecating. You will miss the learning. You win a race or lose a race, and pat yourself on the […]
Greenwashing sustainable investments
FOLLOWING last week’s column on sustainable investing, I had a number of enquiries asking how you can decide if a pension or investment fund actually does what it says on the tin, ie invests in what you want, and avoids what you want. Most of us have simply had enough of, not only the barefaced […]
What is sustainable investing?
WHAT is sustainable investing? Talk about sustainability to most and it is a very passionate yes. To others it can be an image forced upon them of a tree-hugging, lentil eating typification. Why the binary thought process? Because it is often maligned, and inappropriately so. Knowing what many pension funds are inappropriately invested into, I […]
Is the old investment world gone?
THE investment world and arena changes like the sands. If you aren’t with it, the potential impact on return for you as a pension or ISA investor can be quite extraordinary. Sticking to old strategies in a new world reminds me of my 1992 flight with Monarch airlines to Egypt. A woman sat beside me, […]
Tax day soaky damp squid
IF the budget earlier this month turned out to be a damp squid, the much-feared tax day to follow, soaked that squid in soaky wet stuff, gave it a wet duffle coat to wear, and copious water to drink. If you were sat fearing the worst for capital gains tax, potential inheritance tax changes and […]
How can I get my children on the housing ladder?
WE have seen numerous ideas coming from the UK Government regarding supporting the housing market. The housing market – the depreciating asset that appreciates in value. We can see why. Rising house prices give a feeling of confidence. If I am in debt for £10,000, it really hurts. If I am in debt for £200,000 […]
Will interest rates rise and should I fix?
IT’S that pivotal moment right now. Is a fixed rate mortgage best, or should I wait to see what happens with inflation? And another question I have been asked is, how long to fix for, and what the best rates are. I will cover them all. Inflation rising sustainably (ie not a sharp spike and […]
Stamp licking budgets
MOST Budgets are like a stamp-licking competition, especially now that you don’t need to lick them. You build up to the excitement of something happening and hey presto, nothing does. Whilst last week’s Budget delivered reasonably benign information from Rishi Sunak, we have ‘Tax Day’ to follow. This ‘day’ will create a plan for long-term […]